Soul's Weakness
by Fandimension
Summary: *ON HIATUS* Calling all SoMa fans! This is for you! The romance we all wanted when we read the manga and/or watched the anime. Join me as we discover...Soul's Weakness. Told from Soul's point of view mostly. Set in the manga after Soul becomes a death scythe. *lemon*
1. That's So Not Cool

**I do not own Soul Eater or any of the characters. Newly updated! Enjoy!**

"A super-exam in two days?! I don't have time for this! I don't have time to study! But I need to be top of the class just like my mom! I can't take this pressure anymore!" Maka cried out as the tears began to course down her cheeks. Tsubaki, BlackStar, Kidd, Liz, and Patti all gaped at Maka. Soul looked almost as disturbed at his usually-level-headed partner's reaction. "Maka! Hey, wait!" He cried out as she blindly ran past him, swiping at her tears. Soul's shoulders slumped forward as he sighed, "That's totally not cool."

"Soul? Will you please make sure she's okay and then let us know if there's anything we could do?" Tsubaki gazed at Soul with concerned eyes. "Yeah guys, thanks." Soul slowly made his way home. _She's the coolest partner ever, especially since she turned me into a death scythe,_ he thought, _she'll make it through this super-exam._

His mind turned to another worry that was making itself known again. _I wonder why she's been acting so weird lately? A couple days ago I said something and she reacted to it with extreme embarrassment. What did I say? I can't remember. Ever since then she's been acting almost shy around me. Almost like she has a secret she's trying really hard to keep. Why would she keep a secret from me, though? I'm her partner._

As Soul unlocked the door to their apartment, he heard nothing from inside. However, two steps into the apartment he froze for a split second as the sound of her sobs reached his ears. "Maka!" He ran into her bedroom only to find it empty. "Huh? Where is she?" Then he heard it again, coming from _his_ bedroom. He ran to the door to open it and the image that greeted him will forever be branded into his memory.

His Meister, driven by courage to fight through her weaknesses, was curled in a ball on his bed, her hands knotted in fists and covering her face, her small body wracked with sobs. "Maka! What's wrong?!" He ran to his Meister, immediately throwing his body over hers to protect her and be close to her.

"Soul." Her hoarse whisper was rough with surprise. He tugged at her hands to try to see her face, but she resisted, curling up even tighter. "Maka?! Talk to me! Tell me what's wrong!" Her movements stilled slightly but her body still shook, and she turned her head to look at him. "Hold me, Soul, please hold me."

Soul's eyes widened in shock. Her cheeks were drowning in tears even as new ones burst forth, and she seemed to crumble a little. Without any further hesitation, Soul laid down next to her and pulled her to him, pushing her face towards his chest. Her small frame trembled convulsively and his arms wrapped around her tight to steady her.

"Whatever it is Maka, I'm not going anywhere."

Two hours later, Maka had cried herself out and fallen asleep clinging to Soul's embrace. An occasional tremor still shuddered through her body but there were no more tears. She finally slept. Soul's mind replayed the last couple hours trying to figure out what had Maka so upset.

 _If only I could remember what we were talking about that day! Then maybe I would have some idea of what's wrong._ Soul closed his eyes and scrunched his forehead in concentration. _Maybe if I try to recreate that day..._

 _Maka had come into my room to bring me breakfast. She had started at the sight of my bare chest 'cause I had taken off my shirt in the night. I hadn't done that in a while but it was really hot. That couldn't have been it. After that she had blushed and handed me the tray with my breakfast on it._ "Wow, five-star service Maka. You're definitely the coolest partner ever."

 _She left my room and I didn't see her again until we were about to leave for school. I remember asking her if that was a new skirt she was wearing. Her eyes had widened and she confirmed it._ "Wow Soul, I'm surprised you noticed."

"I only noticed 'cause it's longer than your others." _Maka had turned bright red and stormed out the door, dragging me by the collar._ "Hurry up Soul, we're gonna be late." _We weren't even close to being late but I went along for the ride. She was fine during our morning classes. Lunch was easy-going with all our friends, until we had ten minutes left of it. Oh! Now I remember._

"Isn't it sweet that Professor Stein and Miss Marie are having a baby?" _Tsubaki had asked. Liz and Patti had dissolved into giggles and hysterical girl-baby talk I couldn't understand._ "Oh please! It's just a baby! Everyone has them! Except for me anyways, I don't need a girl or a family." _Classic BlackStar move right there._ "I hear ya man, I don't need commitment to anyone but my Meister. I can go out and have fun with whoever I choose and not have it go any further than that."

 _That was when Maka turned bright red and went to class early. I'm glad I remembered but I still have no idea what's wrong with her. I hate not knowing how to help her!_ Soul sighed and she stirred in her sleep. Maka started to mumble and he listened to see if she would make any sense. "Tsubaki...you know don't you...you know how much...I love him..." _What!? What is she saying!? Is she dreaming of talking to Tsubaki? Or is she reliving a memory?_

"I...love him...I can't let him get hurt...because of me. Not again...not again." Tears were starting to course down her cheeks again as his stomach clenched and her words made me remember when he got the scar on his chest. A sense of foreboding settled into Soul's stomach, making it hard for him to breathe.

Maka started to breathe heavier and her face scrunched in pain as she screamed "Don't hurt Soul! I love him!"

As she woke from her nightmare, Soul held her tighter as the tears came again. "Maka, I'm right here. I won't leave my Meister." His head was spinning with what he had just heard, the words echoing and spinning around, becoming disjointed and senseless in his mind.

He closed his eyes to try to fight off the dizzy sensation, but in the darkness behind his eyelids, Soul started to piece together the puzzle of Maka's strange behavior. _She was embarrassed when we were talking about kids and commitment because I said the opposite of what she secretly wanted to hear. Damn, she's such an idiot, why didn't she just tell me?! No, I'm the idiot for spouting crap like that in front of my Meister. That was so not cool of me._

 _When she heard what I said, she realized we didn't want the same things and whatever fantasy she had dreamed up popped like a kid's balloon. I'm such an idiot to crush her dreams like that. But it was so not cool that she kept all this from me, either, I had no way of knowing. What the hell Maka? After that she felt awkward around me 'cause she didn't know what to do without whatever dream she had dreamed up about us. I'm kind of curious as to what this dream was that messed her up so bad._

Soul reopened his eyes to find himself on his back with Maka draped alongside him, her head resting on his chest, crying her eyes out and soaking his t-shirt. "Maka are you trying to drown me?" She hiccupped in surprise and then gave a rueful chuckle. Soul grinned and cupped her cheek with his hand, stroking it's soft surface with his thumb. "You know for being so flat-chested you're kind of beautiful anyway."

MAKA BOOK CHOP! "Ow! What the hell Maka?! That was a compliment!" Maka turned away and sat up on the bed. He looked at the clock on his desk and read the time just as his stomach grumbled.

"Oops," he chuckled as Maka sighed and patted his stomach, her hand lingering a little longer than necessary. "Let's feed you so you don't wake me up tonight rummaging for a midnight snack." She looked up at him and half-smiled before scooting to the edge of his bed. "That's my Meister," Soul replied with a laugh as he squeezed her in a one-armed hug and lightly brushed a kiss on top of her head. Her eyes widened in awe and her cheeks blazed with color.

Soul pretended not to notice as he stood and pulled off his shirt in one motion, muscles rippling in the half-light of the lamp, his face was cast in shadow but his teeth were gleaming as he grinned at her. Maka's eyes scanned his slightly bulging biceps, defined pecs, rippling ab muscles, and the trim V leading into the jeans she washed every three days. She had never noticed how fit her weapon partner was. _How did I miss something like that?!_ Soul took his time rifling through his closet for a shirt and turned towards her to pull it on. _Having that kind of effect on a woman is pretty cool._

A thought gave him pause. _Huh, since when did I start thinking of Maka as a woman instead of just a girl or my Meister? Damn, this could get bad fast. No commitments here other than a Meister and her weapons partner. A very cute Meister and no no no just a Meister and her weapon. What the hell did she do to me, this is so not cool!_

Maka rose on unsteady legs and almost collapsed with a shriek when her knees gave out. Somehow she ended up in Soul's very warm and strong embrace instead of on the floor and she was very grateful. She turned her head up to thank him and realized how close her lips were to his. "Geez Maka, don't scare me like that, it isn't cool. Although, carrying you around kind of is. Supper, then?"


	2. So Comfortable With You

Maka wrapped her arms around Soul's neck and rested her head in the crook where his neck and shoulder meet. She sleepily realized how comfortable she was. _I feel safe with Soul_ , she thought.

When he got to the living room, Soul walked to the couch and gently set Maka down, who protested. "I don't trust you to not fall asleep standing up and burn our dinner. I'll make my famous turkey and Swiss, 'kay?" Soul had leaned over the couch as he spoke, and he started when Maka reached up her hand to cup his cheek. "Thank you, Soul." He put her hand over hers and turned his head to kiss her palm. "Anything for such a cool Meister." Maka blushed and looked down as Soul stood and moved to the stove.

She watched his confident movements and found herself thinking how lucky she was to have a weapon partner she was so compatible with. _Apparently compatible in more ways than one,_ she thought, remembering how she felt when he carried her. Her cheeks warmed again as her palm tingled from his kiss.

Soul turned around with two plates in his hand and walked toward her. He stopped her when she tried to stand and put the plates on the coffee table. "You need to rest Maka, just stay on the couch. I'll sit on the floor so we can eat together." Soul's stomach rumbled again as he sat crosslegged and bit into his sandwich.

Maka suddenly realized how hungry she was when her stomach growled louder than Soul's. They both laughed and she put a hand to her stomach. "Oops," she said with a giggle. Soul's gaze zeroed in on her hand laying on her stomach as she took a bite. _What the hell,_ he thought, _why am I wishing there was a bump there?!_ He cleared his throat and lowered his gaze to his sandwich, suddenly not hungry anymore.

"Dammit," he mumbled under his breath. "Did you say something Soul?" Maka asked. He shook his head no and bit into his sandwich, not tasting it. When she had finished hers, he offered her the rest of his sandwich and took her plate to the sink to wash it. He stiffened when he felt her hand on his shoulder, but didnt turn around. "Thank you Soul. For supper, for being my weapon, for catching me when I fall." She rested her head between his shoulder blades and tentatively slid her arms around his waist.

 _Ah shit_ , he thought as his arms started to shake from leaning on the counter. "Maka," he said wearily before turning in her embrace to wrap his arms around her and hold her tightly against him. After a moment, he felt her arms tighten around him and she clung to him. Soul felt her begin to shake and felt the tears soaking his shirt again. He loosened his embrace only to scoop her up in his arms again.

"I had a nightmare, Soul. We were back at the church fighting Chrona. But he didn't just slice you open," she sobbed, unconsciously fingering the scar under Soul's shirt, "he k-k-killed you!" Soul held her tighter and walked down the hallway to his bedroom again. _There's no way I can leave her alone tonight,_ he thought. He sat down on the edge of the bed and held her against his body as her sobs subsided.

Soul knew as soon as he felt Maka's body relax that she had finally fallen asleep. He kicked off his shoes without letting go of her and slowly lowered them to the mattress. Her body instantly curled around his and he marveled at her absolute trust in him. "I've got you Maka," he whispered into the darkness. Lightly kissing the top of her head, he very gently extracted himself long enough to pull off his shirt and switch his jeans for sweats. When he crawled back into her embrace he pulled the blanket up over their legs. _She's such an idiot sometimes, always wearing those damn mini skirts._

Maka whimpered and blinked slowly. "Won't you get cold, Soul?" She asked in a voice thick with sleep. _Dammit, when she says my name like that..._ He cleared his throat and managed to say, "Nah, I'm cool." Maka raised her head and laid a hand on his stomach. "I don't know how you stay so warm all the time, I'm usually kind of cold."

"I'm like a furnace. Nice and warm 24/7," Soul replied. He was once again taken aback by Maka draping herself over him, her left hand thrown across his chest, torso half on his, and her left leg between his. Slowly, almost as though she was doing it unwillingly, her left hand slid down his pec and settled on his abs. He sucked in a sharp breath when she began tracing his six-pack with a delicate finger.

His abdominal muscles quivered under her sweet touch and he clenched his jaw, straining for some self control. When she got to the bottom of his six-pack he had to grab her hand to stop her progress. "Maka, please don't start something like this when you need your sleep so bad. I don't know if I would be able to stop, and I don't want to hurt you or make you worse. Please, Maka," he begged. She looked up at him and half-smiled. "You're right of course but...could we maybe...try? Sometime? Please?"

Soul licked his suddenly dry lips and swallowed when her eyes followed the movement. "Yeah Maka, I promise. Tonight though, let's just sleep." She smiled and gently leaned in to place a kiss on his lips. "Good night, Soul." He swallowed again when she cuddled into his side and pulled the covers up a little farther. "Good night, Maka. Sweet dreams." He placed a kiss on top of her forehead and tightened his grip on her before exhaustion claimed him.


	3. We Should Get a 'Do Not Disturb' Sign

The next morning, Soul woke to a knock on the door. He glanced at Maka's still-sleeping face and once more gently extracted himself from her limbs. He paused at the doorway of his room to look back at his Meister, so peaceful and innocent in her sleep. "Damn, Maka, why you gotta be so cute?" He muttered to himself.

He quietly made his way to the door and opened it to find Miss Marie and Tsubaki. "Miss Marie? Tsubaki? Is everything okay?" Soul asked as he pulled the door closed behind him. Automatically he searched out Maka's soul wavelength with his own so he would know if she needed him. Miss Marie chuckled and replied, "That's what we came to ask you. I was worried about you and Maka when you missed afternoon classes yesterday so I asked Tsubaki about it. She told me about Maka's break down and wanted to come check on her immediately 'cause that's so unlike her. Tsubaki convinced me she'd be fine with you here looking out for her."

"Thank you Miss Marie, that's very cool of you. Unfortunately Maka and I are going to miss morning classes again, but unless something else happens we should be back after lunch. And don't you have a class to teach in five minutes?" Soul and Tsubaki laughed as she hurried through farewells and waddled towards the elevator. "Tsubaki, you're excused from your first class but I expect you there for the second!" She called just before the elevator doors closed.

"Um, Soul, may I please see Maka?" Tsubaki asked tentatively. "Yeah, but she's still asleep so try not to wake her up, 'kay? I'd appreciate it," Soul replied, quietly opening the door. When Tsubaki started towards Maka's room Soul called to her in a low voice, "She's in my room, she kept having nightmares and crying and I didn't want her to have to wake up alone." Tsubaki smiled, "How sweet of you."

Soul kept ahold of Maka's soul wavelength to continue monitoring it while he quietly began to prepare breakfast for her. He had the eggs in the skillet, the toast in the toaster, and the bacon sizzling in the pan when Tsubaki returned to the kitchen. She sniffed the air appreciatively and mentioned what a fine cook he was becoming. Soul just shrugged and stirred the eggs with his left hand and flipped bacon strips with his right. "It seems becoming a death scythe has improved your multi-tasking skills and coordination," Tsubaki observed. Soul shrugged again and flipped the toast down. He turned the heat off the eggs and put the bacon strips onto paper towels to soak up the grease. "Crap," he muttered as he felt Maka's soul wavelengths begin to awaken. "Not yet, not yet." He hurried to the fridge and grabbed the jelly and a knife on his way back. He set them down on the counter and grabbed the bed-tray to arrange the plates on.

He forced his soul to send comforting wavelengths to keep her asleep a little bit longer. Soul scooped two spoonfuls of scrambled eggs onto the plate, laid three slices of bacon along the edge, and quickly spread jelly on a piece of toast. After adding that to the plate, he found a little fruit bowl and filled it with blackberries, her favorite. The finishing touch were two small glasses, one full of apple juice and one of water. Very carefully, he backed off his soul wavelengths and carried the tray to his bedroom, just in time for her to open her eyes.

Maka's eyes had always done funny things to Soul, and he was amazed she hadn't seemed to notice yet. _Now that I'm a death scythe_ , he thought, _our soul resonance is so much stronger and we can constantly sense each other's soul wavelengths. It's so hard for me to control these new emotions. Get a grip Soul, this is not cool._

He grinned at her as she looked around and blushed. "How did I end up in your room again?" She asked before uncurling her body and stretching like a kitten. Soul swallowed and barely remembered to breathe. He forced his feet forward to his bed and set the tray down for her. Maka's face lit up as her stomach grumbled and she giggled.

"Thank you, Soul." He grinned and turned to the door, saying he'd be right back. In the kitchen, he cleaned everything up and made himself a sandwich of eggs and bacon. Taking the plate back to his room, he sat down next to Maka and took a bite. They ate together in comfortable silence, enjoying the pleasure of each other's souls.

Soul finished first, leaning back and sighing contentedly. He waited for Maka to finish and took the dishes and tray back to the kitchen. Setting them in the sink, he returned to his bedroom and sat next to her again. She smiled at him, her eyes shining brightly in thanks. Soul chuckled and pulled her closer with one arm, making her giggle. He couldn't resist placing a kiss on top of her head, to which she hmmed happily. "Do you feel better today, Angel-chan?" He asked, using her nickname from their flying lessons.

"Yeah, I think I just needed sleep," she answered sheepishly, face turning bright red. "Sorry I flipped out like I did. I didn't mean to worry anyone. Especially you," she added the last part in a whisper. "Maka? Why especially me?" Soul asked in confusion, searching her gaze. She frantically tried to blink back tears as she whispered, "Because you always end up hurt because of me and I hate that. I hate being the reason you're suffering and in pain."

Soul chuckled and pulled her into his arms. "You idiot. You think it's because of you that I get hurt? It's because I'm a weapon completely devoted to his Meister. It's in the job description to bleed every now and then. I may be a death scythe now but I'm still human." Soul finished his speech and pulled back to look in her awed face. _Those eyes,_ he thought as he grinned. His inner voice was screaming at him to keep his mouth shut but he didn't seem to notice as the next words left his mouth.

"Believe it or not Maka, you're more than a little beautiful and any guy with eyes would jump in front of you to save you." _Crap!_ He immediately froze and wanted to swallow the words he hadn't mean to say. Soul ducked his head in her hair to cover his embarrassment at the slip. He heard Maka gasp lightly as his words finally made sense in her head. Internally braced for her rebuke, he was unprepared for her to ask, "You really love me, don't you? 'Cause Tsubaki and Liz and Patti are beautiful too but you wouldn't almost die for them. No...you love me."

She said the words softly, wonderingly. **MAKA BOOK CHOP!** "You idiot! Why didn't you tell me any of this before now?! Do you know how much trouble you could have saved me?" Soul had stared at her open-mouthed during her rant and was completely not prepared for her to launch herself at him. He fell back on his bed with Maka on top of him and had barely blinked when suddenly she was kissing him.

His eyes closed and he began to return the kiss, wrapping his arms around her and pressing her to him. She let out a shaky gasp as his tongue traced her full lips. In one smooth movement Soul had flipped them over. He propped himself on his elbows so his weight wouldn't settle on her and cupped her cheek in his hand. Soul continued kissing Maka and tentatively reached out his soul wavelength to hers. She whimpered as his soul embraced hers. "Soul," she whispered.

They both broke the kiss when they heard a knock at the door. "Dammit," Soul muttered. "Don't move Maka," he said after placing a quick kiss to her lips. He ran his fingers through his hair and went to answer the door.


	4. Seriously, Leave Us Alone!

Soul grumbled murderously on his way to the door, throwing it open and growling at the unwanted visitor. He frowned and his mood worsened. "I came to see my daughter," Spirit said. "Why don't you just go away you creepy perv!" Soul shot back. He blinked as he landed on his butt. Spirit's hand was extended and he walked past Soul into the apartment.

Suddenly, Soul froze. _Spirit is here to see Maka_ , he thought, _Maka is laying on my bed. Shit! Death Scythe's gonna kill me!_ Soul scrambled to his feet in a panic and opened his mouth to yell at Spirit when he walked past the door to Soul's room and froze. "Papa?" He heard Maka ask.

Spirit turned stiffly to look into Soul's room and his heart stopped. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU-" Spirit broke off as his air was suddenly cut off by his darling daughter barreling into his stomach. "Papa," she sobbed, "I had a bad dream! I woke up screaming and Soul carried me to his room. He didn't want me to be alone. Please don't be mad at him! He was helping me!"

Soul stared in shock. Maka looked up at her dad with watery puppy dog eyes and Spirit looked back at her with his mouth gaping open. He softened and wrapped her in a hug, looking back at Soul and mouthing a quick thanks. Soul gawked, extremely confused, when Maka caught his eye and winked, tears gone. Soul couldn't help but chuckle. Maka released her dad and smiled at him, "Thanks Papa, but don't you have a class to teach? I don't want you to be late."

Spirit flinched and ran out the door, screaming about his daughter as he went. Maka went to shut the door and leaned back against it, shuddering at the memory of hugging her dad. Soul chuckled and slowly advanced on her, a look in his eye she hadn't seen before. Maka squirmed under his unwavering gaze. "Nice acting back there, he believed every word of it," Soul said as he placed a hand on either side of Maka's head and leaned in. She felt her knees shaking and her breathing sped up as she closed her eyes to Soul's kiss.

It was gentle, a light touch she couldn't be sure she didn't imagine. And somehow, she loved him all the more for it. When she opened her eyes, Soul cupped her cheek in his hand and stroked his thumb gently over her slightly swollen lips, touching his forehead to hers. Maka drew in a shaky breath and said, in a wondering voice, "Sometimes I want to throw something at you because you're such an idiot. Other times I want to throw myself at you because I love you so much." Soul smirked, simply stating, "I know. The feeling's mutual."

Once more, he closed the distance between their lips, but this time Maka didn't let him back off. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her fingers in his hair. Soul's hands gripped her shoulders for a brief moment before sliding slowly down her sides, stopping at her hips. He pulled her to him and their bodies melded together like a perfect fit.

They broke the kiss simultaneously and gasped for air. Soul bent slightly and knocked her knees out from under her, catching her in his arms. He loved the way she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to meet her lips. Soul chuckled, "Can't get enough of me, can you Angel-chan? That's pretty cool." Maka blushed bright red and her face morphed into an angry pout. "Just shut up and kiss me already! I've waited so long you have no right to call me greedy!" By this time, Soul had reached his bedroom and bent down to deposit her small frame on his bed. She stretched like a kitten, blinking up at Soul with a small smile adorning her lips. Soul swallowed and quickly took off his shirt, throwing it in the general direction of his dresser. He kneeled next to Maka on the bed and she wiggled out of her sweater vest, also throwing it across the room.

Maka pressed her cold hands to his chest, humming at the way he took in a shaky breath. Soul stretched out beside her and when she turned toward him instinctively, he immediately kissed her again. And again. And again. He couldn't stop. He didn't want to. Soul was losing his control very swiftly. Maka was not helping matters. In fact, she seemed to be doing everything in her power to make it worse. Frantic kisses, roving hands. Maka whimpered when he traced her swollen lips with his tongue. That was all it took to send him over the edge of control. He pounced on top of her, kissing her, fingers working desperately at the buttons on her shirt. "Angel-chan," he whispered. Maka whimpered again and bit her lip, arching her back slightly.

 _Knock, knock, knock_. Maka gasped and her hands flew to grasp her shirt. Soul growled. _Knock, knock, knock_. For the second time today, Soul made his way to the door, ready to kill. He swung it open forcefully, murderous glare quickly morphing to a surprised scowl. "Dr. Stein?" The good -albeit creepy- doctor stood at the door with a medical bag. He pushed his glasses up on his nose, making them flash. "I came to determine if Maka is well enough to return to class," he explained monotonously. Soul flinched. "Yeah about that," he started, an idea forming in his head, "She was doing okay last night before bed but had some really nasty nightmares and was worse this morning. Tsubaki and Miss Marie came by to see her and she was still sleeping off her latest nightmare while I made breakfast. After that, her creep of a dad came by and she actually threw herself at him." Soul cringed here. "That's when I knew she was still recovering up here," he added as he tapped his skull.

Dr. Stein chuckled. "Well it seems she is in the best hands. From what you have said I will conclude this house call by not giving approval to return to school. Take the rest of the week off, you two. A weapon and his Meister need to be able to lean on each other to get through rough times without being interrupted. I leave you to it. Good luck," he said before turning and walking down the apartment steps. Soul let out an annoyed huff, turning to go back to what he had left. He grinned. _And today's only Tuesday_.


	5. Soul is a Softy!

Hurrying down the hallway, Soul couldn't stop grinning as he recalled her earlier words, "I love him!" Pausing at the doorway, he leaned against the frame and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Seems the good Dr. Stein has given us the rest of the week off, Angel-chan. Pretty cool of him. Something about a meister and weapon needing to learn to rely on one another." Maka gasped in surprised delight and sat up on the bed, grinning. "Soul, today's only Tuesday! We have so much time! What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do _first_?" Soul grinned, watching his partner bounce on the bed in her excitement.

"Personally, I wouldn't mind watching a movie with you. A classic, complete with blanket, pillows, and popcorn. Sound good, Angel-chan? I'll even let you pick, whatever you wanna watch." Her smile stretched from ear to ear, her hair bouncing with her exuberant nods. Maka skipped to the living room and had the movie in the player before he even got to the couch. "Maka?" he asked suspiciously, regretting letting her pick. She always picks the ones that make me cry, and that's not cool! She ignored him, skipping to the bedroom to grab her pillow and blanket. When she came back, Soul was in the process of making popcorn. Her devious smile had him suddenly uneasy, and he warily brought in the popcorn. They got comfortable, sitting on the floor but leaning up against the couch, rigidly straight with space between them. Maka had started the movie already and the previews were ending. Soul gulped and narrowed his eyes when he realized what movie it was. _She is trying to make me cry! Dammit Maka! Cool guys aren't supposed to cry!_

Soon enough, Maka scooted closer to him and their legs brushed. He felt a shock of awareness travel through him. _Easy there killer,_ he thought, swallowing as he felt his cheeks flame. By fifteen minutes into the movie Maka was cuddled into Soul's side, his arm around her and his cheek resting on top of her head. _I like this_ , he thought, _I really like this. I want more of this._

Two and a half hours later, Soul was doing all he could to breathe normally and stop the flow of tears down his cheeks. _Don't let go, Jack, don't let go! Hang on to her, dammit! Hang on!_ "Soul, I didn't know you were this much of a romantic. It's kind of sweet that you are," she said without looking up. He jerked upright and angrily swiped at his tears, "I have allergies! Cool guys don't cry during the  Titanic, they hold and comfort their girlfriends that are bawling their eyes out. Speaking of, why aren't _you_ crying?" Maka giggled and simply stated, "Because I wouldn't have been stupid or selfish enough to live, much less fall asleep, while my soulmate was freezing literally to death. I mean really, how selfish can you get?" During her explanation she paused many times to fight through a yawn, and her eyes drooped close at the end of it.

Soul chuckled lightly and hugged her closer as her body sagged into sleep. He watched the movie to the end and finished the popcorn. Clicking off the TV, he slid his right arm under Maka's leg and scooped her up, holding her close to him. Dragging the blanket with him, he carried her to his room. _Had it really only been a day? I already can't imagine going to bed without her by my side. Dammit, this isn't good._ Soul laid her down next to the wall as gently as he could, glad that she looked to be wearing comfy clothes. He quickly changed into a faded pair of sweatpants and took off his shirt. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was only one o'clock in the afternoon. Making a snap decision, he decided to take advantage of her peaceful slumber to go work out. He always thought better during a hardcore exercise session. He closed his bedroom door shut quietly after leaving a quick note on the pillow beside her. He took off and locked up behind him, jogging down the hallway and opting to take the stairs to keep moving.

Soul jogged throughout Death City for a good hour before heading back to the apartment. He laughed up the stairs at the refreshing rush of endorphins released by the exercise. He went to the back room and did a variety of floor work exercises, including push-ups and crunches. He chuckled inwardly at his attempts to impress Maka. He wanted to keep his six-pack firm and he would definitely be needing the arm strength. Sighing lightly, he saw that it was nearing three o'clock and wondered if he should wake her. Deciding to go check on her, he was captivated by the peaceful beauty of her sleeping face. Not quite knowing how he got there, he was suddenly stretching out on the bed next to her, her body and soul both instinctively curling towards him. Hesitantly, Soul reached out his hand to caress her cheek, trailing it down her shoulder and arm to grab her hand. His other hand cupped her cheek and gently tilted her head up to meet the gentle caress of his lips. He kept it sweet, despite the slow burn in his belly he was feeling for this woman. His woman. Maka's lips began to respond when he kissed her again, and the burn became a raging inferno. She was awake.

Her lips parted slightly, a teasing invitation, and he returned the favor by lightly tracing her lips with his tongue. She drew in a shaky breath and let it out on a whimper. Soul was nearly done in by the pout that formed on her face and he dove back in, embracing the fire. She responded to him by throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him back so passionately, so sweetly, he was almost done in. Instinctively, he moved over her, twisting at the waist to cup her face with both hands. The kisses became hotter, more desperate, each trying to quench this newfound thirst. Maka slipped off his hat and ran her fingers through his hair, finally doing what she had longed to do since they first became partners. She sighed at its softness and Soul moaned quietly into her neck. He lifted his head slightly and placed a series of soft kisses along her jawline and down her neck to her collarbone. Maka couldn't stop the moan from escaping her lips, nor the shiver of pleasure that went down her spine.

Soul drew back reluctantly, looking into his partner's eyes. Immediately, though, he was lost in the passion swirling in the emerald depths. He had to close his eyes and take a deep breath before looking back into hers. Now, however, the passion became confusion laced with what he thought to be respect. "Maka," he started, "I…I love you. But I don't want to take this further until you are absolutely sure you're ready." When she stared at him blankly he began to ramble out half-said excuses and reasons but she pressed a finger to his lips to quiet him. He couldn't keep from kissing the finger held to his lips which quirked her mouth a bit into a half-smile. "Say it again, Soul, the first part." He wrinkled his forehead in confusion. "Being absolutely sure you're ready?"

She shook her head slightly, "Before that. The very first thing you said." Soul closed his eyes to think. His forehead smoothed and his eyes opened halfway, knowing what she wanted him to say. He leaned in and rested his forehead on hers, their noses touching and breaths mingling. "I love you, Maka. Always have, always will." Closing the distance between their lips, they shared a sweet kiss full of the passion of love, not lust.


	6. A Night for Friends

Maka snuggled into Soul's embrace, comforted to finally know he loves her. After a few minutes of reflection on their past adventures, Soul's snores drew a light chuckle from her. Very carefully, she withdrew her body from her partner's sleeping form. Covering him with a light blanket, she placed a gentle kiss on his temple before walking out of the room. _4:00 on a Tuesday_ , Maka thought. _I should ask Tsubaki if she wants to meet me at the library._ Her lips curved up involuntarily when her mind flashed a picture of Soul's sleeping face. _We have a lot to talk about._

"Soul,

I am going to meet Tsubaki and the Sisters for a bit. If you would like to ask BlackStar and Kidd to come over for dinner you can, my girls will probably all stay and Tsubaki and I will cook. Feel free to do the dishes or vacuum. See you at 6.

Love, Your Angel"

Maka put the note on the table, hesitating only a little bit about how she signed it. She really liked where this was going. How many times over the years had she thought about how close he was, sleeping just down the hall? _So close but so far away._ "Things are changing, he finally sees me as a woman," Maka whispered to herself, closing the door behind her. Soul would see her note on the table in about half an hour when he woke up. She flew down the stairs, her thoughts on cloud nine. Skipping across the street to the apartment building all her friends lived in, Maka couldn't stop smiling. Kidd's apartment was closest, so she headed there to grab the sisters.

She knocked on the door, being careful to knock eight times. If she didn't, Kidd would have a conniption fit. Liz opened the door and took one look at her face before yelling to Patti that they were going out. Maka giggled as they both yelled bye to Kidd and slammed the door all in the space of twenty seconds. Maka could sense Liz's soul radiating curiosity but ignored her sideways glances and just grabbed their hands and ran towards Tsubaki's place.

Since Maka and Tsubaki were so close they just plowed through the door without knocking. Tsubaki and BlackStar were sitting cross-legged at a low table playing checkers. Maka and the Sisters ran over, grabbed her, and ran back out. The door slammed shut behind them and BlackStar blinked and looked up. "Your turn Tsubaki. Huh?! Where'd she go?" A piece of paper drifted slowly to the floor. He grabbed it and read: "Girl's night out, you're invited to supper at 6:30. Soul and Kidd expect you within half an hour. Maka" BlackStar rubbed the back of his neck, "Wow, they sure don't waste any time."

The girls ran all the way down the block to the library, slowing to a fast walk to get to their favorite back corner. "Spill! It's been driving me crazy watching you smile like that!" Liz exclaimed as they took their seats at the table. Patti giggled and nodded, "Spill!" Tsubaki just looked a little dizzy. Maka took a deep breath and then let it out in a big rush, "Soul said he loved me!"

Squeals erupted all around the table, all the girls jumping up and hugging Maka, bouncing up and down. "It's about time! You've had the hots for him for at least as long as I've known you!" Liz exclaimed in a high-pitched girly squeal. "Oh Maka, I'm so happy for you!" Maka's eyes widened at this outburst from her normally quiet friend, but Tsubaki was too busy hugging her to notice. They all stepped back and quieted down, looking around at each other. Maka's lips twitched. Liz bounced. Patti giggled. Once again they all dissolved into laughter and girly screams of happiness for their friend. "We want all the details!" Liz finally managed to say when she caught her breath. Maka glanced at her watch and saw that she had over an hour. She grinned up at her friends and started from her meltdown at school. No details were spared.

The door of Maka and Soul's apartment slammed open, startling Soul out of his dreams. Maka's lips still danced in his mind but he was able to focus enough to ninja roll out of the way when BlackStar came barreling towards him. This began a game of keep-away that abruptly ended a couple minutes later when BlackStar tripped over Kidd's foot. "So reckless, tripping over everything. Really BlackStar, you should pay more attention to where you're going," Kidd smirked, looming over him. "Why you- I am the mighty BlackStar! A foot won't take me down!" This outburst was followed by Kidd effortlessly dodging BlackStar's attempts to tackle him and once again, rough-housing ensued. No one wanted to admit defeat, so the game became more and more intense.

Everything screeched to a halt when BlackStar ripped Kidd's scarf. Soul stared open-mouthed, watching it as if in slow motion. Kidd looked down at the scarf. BlackStar turned white. Kidd's eyes began to glow murderously. BlackStar began to stammer out an apology before turning and running for his life, screaming like a little girl. Kidd ran after him, screaming about asymmetrical garbage. The girls returned to find Soul staring at the whirlwind of the two running around the coffee table with an expression of horror. "Liz! Patti! BlackStar ripped Kidd's scarf! Quick! Do something before he kills him!" Soul yelled desperately. Liz sighed and Patti giggled, "Okay!" Liz stuck her foot out and Kidd tripped, face-planting on the floor. "Patti!" She yelled.

"Right!" Patti said. She grabbed Kidd's scarf and pulled it off his neck. Immediately after, Liz whipped out her back up and wrapped it around the way he likes it. The whole thing was so well rehearsed it took less than ten seconds. When Kidd stood up, he hadn't even realized what they had done. "Hey Kidd, is that a new scarf?" Liz asked. He froze and looked down. Everyone held their breath. "Why yes, it is. Liz, Patti, I don't know how to thank you for saving my sanity." Everyone laughed in relief. "BlackStar, are you okay?" Tsubaki asked. "You should really be more careful with Kidd. He might actually kill you one of these days." BlackStar just laughed it off, though he was rather out of breath.

Soul chuckled and Maka's eyes immediately sought him out. Her cheeks warmed when he winked at her and she smiled shyly back at him. He turned around to walk over to BlackStar on the couch and she saw her note sticking out of his back pocket. Still smiling, she grabbed Tsubaki, Liz, and Patti and dragged them to the kitchen to make supper. They chatted about random things while they did whatever Tsubaki told them to do and had a great time laughing at each other's messes.

About fifteen minutes later, dinner was almost ready and Soul wandered into the kitchen. "Smells amazing, ladies. How much longer? They guys and I are starving." All three girls immediately looked at Maka with secret smiles on their faces. They glanced at each other and said, "Just a couple more minutes, we'll set up the table." Maka and Soul were left facing each other, Maka's cheeks a bright red. Soul walked forward and pressed a palm to her flaming cheek, gently caressing it. She leaned into his hand, finding comfort in his soul wavelength. "Do you know how cute you are when you blush?" He asked in a whisper. Maka hummed contentedly. Soul leaned in and brushed her lips with his, leaning back just as the girls came back in. They giggled insanely and Soul rolled his eyes. Maka's cheeks flamed bright red again. Everyone helped carry out the food, with Maka leaving a plate of raw fish at the back door for Blair.

The meal was full of teasing, jokes, laughter, and stories of what Maka and Soul weren't missing at school. When the girls got up to clear off the table, the boys shared a look and followed, carrying the rest of the leftover food and dirty dishes that the girls couldn't get the first time. BlackStar and Tsubaki put away the leftover food; Kidd washed, Patti rinsed, and Liz dried. Maka and Soul wiped down the table and countertops, then put away the clean dishes. Everything was done in the space of five minutes. After Soul set Maka down off his shoulders from putting away the last dish on the top shelf, everyone migrated to the living room and started negotiating which game to play. Maka eventually got up during the debate to get a package out of her room. "Happy birthday, BlackStar, it's a day early but I think it's necessary right now." His whole face lit up and he tore off the plain paper. When the gift was revealed, the guys burst out laughing, the girls deadpanned, and Maka blushed furiously.

BlackStar's birthday present. From Maka. Was Cards Against Humanity. "LET'S PLAY!"


	7. When Darkness Falls

When 9:00 rolls around, each boy has tissues stuffed up his nose from the multitude of nosebleeds the game caused. Each girl, however, looks flushed and slightly embarrassed. Tsubaki gracefully unfolds herself and stands up, stretching. "Come on, BlackStar, it's getting late. We have school tomorrow." She bids everyone goodnight and drags her tired partner out the door, carrying the game. Kidd sighs and says, "I'm afraid it's time we were going as well. Thank you for this," he pauses as he removes his bloody tissues, "most interesting night. Farewell, friends. Liz, Patti." Soul and Maka wave at the trio before closing the door.

"Night Soul," Maka mutters, not meeting his eyes. Soul grabs her arm and stops her. "Maka? What's wrong?" Her hesitation worries Soul, and his eyebrows furrow with worry. He waits for her to speak, trying to think of anything that could have caused her to act like this. "Am I a bad person for getting that game for BlackStar?" Maka asked in a near-whisper. Soul let out the breath he had been holding and the corner of his lips twitched. "Angel-chan that was one of the best gifts you could have given him. We all enjoyed it and it was fun for our whole group. Don't beat yourself up about it." He slid his hand down her arm to grab her hand. Slowly, he brought it up to his lips to place a gentle kiss on it, then let go reluctantly and bid her goodnight.

Just before Maka turned away, Soul saw her cheeks glow with her embarrassment and he half-smiled. He walked into his room and shut his door, taking off his shirt as he walked across the floor to the window. Blair was running up the alley in cat-form, straight for the fish. Soul smirked and began to remove his jeans when he heard paper rustling and remembered the note in his back pocket. He pulled it out and read it for the fourth time. He couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face and he quickly pulled on a pair of sweats.

Soul crawled under the covers just as he heard Blair sneak in the door. _Stupid cat,_ he thinks, _staying out so late._ Yawning, Soul turned on his side to stare out the window, unable to stop thinking about Maka. Suddenly, he felt cold and found himself wishing for her body to be next to him again. Wishing he could hold her close all through the night. Sitting up, Soul grabbed his pillow and punched it in frustration, trying to make it more comfortable. He tossed and turned for half an hour before sitting up on the edge of his bed, mentally screaming at himself to not do what he knew he was about to.

With a tired sigh, he stood up and quietly walked to his door. He turned the door knob and stepped into the hallway, listening for Blair. Not hearing anything, he makes his way to Maka's room and quietly pushes it open. Soul is surprised and embarrassed when he sees her head turn towards the door and she looks directly at him. "Can't sleep?" she asked quietly. Soul scoffs, "It's your fault, I can't remember how to sleep without you in my arms. It feels like I'm missing something. Something important." He ends up sitting on her bed with his head hanging, facing away from her. "Pretty pathetic of me, to need you so much after only a day and a half of being with you this way. But…I can't help it. And I don't really want it to stop." Soul feels her sit up and snaps his head up when her arms snake around his waist. "Do you wanna sleep in my room or yours, Soul?" She asks in a sleepy voice. He has to swallow the lump in his throat before he can manage a response. "Yours is fine, I don't want you to have to move just for me."

Maka smiled and blinked slowly, moving to face the wall and holding up her blankets so Soul could crawl under behind her. As his arms wrapped around her, she snuggled back into his warm embrace, sighing contentedly. "Better?" She asked in a whisper. " _So_ much better," Soul answered, both of them finally relaxing into a deep sleep.


	8. Maka's Dream

For Maka, the night passed far too quickly in Soul's arms. When she awoke with the sun, she couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face. _I feel so happy, like I have everything I could ever need right here._ Turning slightly, Maka's breath caught at the sight of his face. The golden sunrise fell through the window onto his face, causing his hair to glow the color of wheat. There were no frown lines on his forehead, making him seem years younger than his actual 18. He almost looks like a little boy, she thought. Her eyes were drawn to his full lips, parted slightly, and wanted so badly to kiss them. She couldn't stop staring at them, and didn't realize he had opened his crimson eyes.

Deciding to wait and see what she would do, he just waited, watching her. He could tell when she decided to kiss him, because the lines on her forehead smoothed and she got a soft look in those emerald depths. Soul held his breath as she leaned in. When she closed her eyes and her soft lips met his, he melted a little inside. She gave a startled gasp when he instinctively began to respond and hovered over her. Inwardly cursing his hormones, he backed off and plopped on his back. "Dammit Maka, you make it so hard to think." Turning his head, he saw her wide eyes and red cheeks. Soul grinned at her reaction and sucked in a breath when her hand landed on his bare stomach. She giggled and Soul's eyes rolled shut to try and get ahold of his control. "Whatever do you mean, Soul?" Maka teased, "I think you can _think_ perfectly fine, just maybe not about anything but what I do to you," she ended in a suggestive whisper. Soul gulped, and struggled to form words. "M-M-Maka wait-" her hand slid an inch lower and he sucked in a breath, all thoughts immediately diverting to calming his raging hormones.

Maka giggled and removed her hand, instead placing a quick kiss on his lips and hopping off the bed in her cute little pajamas to go make breakfast. Soul heaved a breath and muttered to himself about hormones and short skirts. A couple minutes later, he got up and moved towards the kitchen, still just wearing sweats. Her back was to him and with her torment still fresh in mind, decided to repay the favor. On soundless feet, he comes up behind her and puts his hands on her waist, pulling her backwards. Maka gave a squeak of surprise as she connected with what she caused earlier. Soul chuckles and moves his hands to her stomach, slipping under her tank top. She shivered when his fingers ghosted across her sensitive skin. He leaned into her neck and breathed in the smell of her shampoo.

Knees shaking, Maka was forced to lean back into Soul lest she collapse on the floor in a pile of mush. Her back arched involuntarily when his warm lips began to plant kisses on the curve of her neck. Soul spun her around and wrapped his arms around her, whispering, "See, I can do that, too." Maka breathed a shaky laugh and sank into a chair, letting Soul finish making breakfast. She held her hands to her cheeks because she knew they were flushed. Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes and focused on trying to slow her heart and breathe normally. The clatter of the plate being placed in front of her brought her back to the present and she opened her eyes to see Soul's amused grin. Maka couldn't stop her answering smile and they teased each other all through breakfast.

Cleaning up was a joint effort and was done in no time. After that, Soul plopped down on the couch and suggested they play a game. "Yeah okay, what do you want to play?" Maka asked. Naturally, this sparked a back-and-forth debate which ended in an annoyed huff from Soul. "Jeez Maka, why don't we just play the question game, then? That way all we have to do is talk. It's teambuilding in a way and will help us get to know each other better." Maka grinned and nodded her agreement. "You first, Soul."

Soul got comfortable on the couch while thinking of a question. "What's your favorite color?" Without hesitation, she answered, "Crimson, the color of your eyes." As soon as the words left her mouth, she wished she could take them back. "I don't know Maka, that's about the color of your face right now," Soul teased her. Maka huffed and threw the couch cushion at him, trying to hide a smile. He easily deflected it and laughed. Knowing it was her turn, she thought for a moment. "How come you never play the piano for me anymore? Outside of our group resonance, I mean." He shrugged, "You never asked Angel-chan."

Three hours later, they were still going at it. Their questions had ranged from simple to life-and-death, to favorites, to suggestive, to purely curious. Soul had played a few pieces for Maka on piano and Maka had surprised Soul by singing. They had both refused to let Blair join in when she poked her head in the door for lunch. Soul and Maka shared the mutual feeling of enjoying being alone together and getting to know each other better. Little were they aware of how, with each shared laugh and dream, their bodies moved closer and closer, touching now and then. Suddenly they found themselves on the couch discussing the movie they were watching with their faces inches away in their excitement. Soul blinked and found himself staring at Maka's lips, and her soul wavelength became erratic when she realized what was going on.

Soul watched her emerald eyes slide shut and he leaned in and kissed her with all his excitement and passion, cupping the back of her head and holding her to his kiss. Maka scooted her body closer to his and gently pushed him backwards so he was laying on the couch. She laid down on top of him and snuggled into his chest, his arms wrapping around her. They watched the rest of the movie like that, Maka listening to Soul's heartbeat and Soul relishing the feel of Maka in his arms.

When the movie was over, Soul carefully arranged a sleeping Maka so he could carry her into her room and lay her down. He decided to go work out again and think through everything they had shared that morning. _I don't think I've talked that much or for that long since I was a kid. Maka sure does bring out a whole 'nother side of me._ With that, he closed the door behind him and took off on a run.

An hour later, he returned to their apartment and showered. After peeking into her room and finding her still asleep, Soul sat down on the piano bench, remembering how much he had loved playing for her earlier that day. And, with that feeling forefront in his mind, he began to freelance. It was a soft piece, gentle and flowing. Like a lullaby but not the stereotypical "I'm trying so hard to make this baby fall asleep and I'm getting desperate" feel. No, it was more like the gentle lull of the ocean on a breezy day. Or a sea of grass twisting and bending in a smooth dance to the tempo of the wind. Soul put all his feeling into it, then looked up and saw Maka's peaceful face and knew. This wasn't Maka's lullaby. This was Maka's Dream.


	9. Maka's Weakness

Maka's dreams were being manipulated by the sound. _What is the sound? Soul's piano? Is he playing with his soul again?_ As her dreams shifted scenery once more, she stood on a seashore with the tide tickling her toes. The music he was playing was moving the waves, or the waves were moving the sound. In her dream, Maka closed her eyes, turning her palms up towards the warmth of the sun. A smile slid across her lips. The music swelled slightly, bringing the waves to her feet. Maka gasped at the warmth of the water. _It feels so nice_ , she thinks, _It's so peaceful here_. She held up the hem of her long, light blue dress and waded knee-deep into the sparkling sea. Suddenly, she knew. _The sea is Soul_. The waves crept higher up her thighs, caressing her legs, infusing her with warmth. There was another feeling there, a certainty of his love for her. Maka's smile grew and she released her skirt, letting it drift in the breeze and waves.

Taking a few steps deeper into the warm sea, she continued to feel him caressing her, making her feel special and loved. She wiggled her toes in the sand and giggled at the complete happiness that overwhelmed her. Maka waded deeper, the water creeping up her stomach. The sea only sparkled at her, taunting her. Closing her eyes, she leaned backwards and, just like a trust fall, the sea rose to catch her small frame. She sunk slowly into the warm depths. Softly, gently, the waves twisted her body to such a position that she felt like a mermaid. Amazed, she opened her eyes and gasped when she realized she was breathing perfectly fine. Under the waves, she found herself gazing upon a stunning coral reef, teeming with small fish and a pair of sea turtles.

 _Soul, this is gorgeous_. Maka felt the waves beginning to move her again, toward a group of rocks. When her eyes fell upon the small opening at the base of the rocks, she swam toward it and peeked inside. Even underwater she felt her cheeks warm. Through the opening she could see a much larger room that was literally a bedroom grown out of the ocean. There was a shimmering mirror of mica, a wall with many hollows that served as a dresser, a stool made of a doughnut reef, and a large anemone bed. Brightly colored starfish clung to the walls. A large clam, open, sat in the corner and looked rather comfy. Once again, the waves moved her, startling her out of her trance, gently carrying her towards the bed.

Maka laid down, giggling as the anemone tickled her bare arms. Suddenly she felt a very familiar presence at the opening of the room. She smiled, because even without looking to verify, her soul and heart simultaneously leapt with delight. "Soul," she whispered. Finally turning to look, she gasped. Soul leaned against the wall, hands shoved in the pockets of his sweatpants, one foot casually propped up on the wall. His bare chest showed no signs of ever bearing a scar. Pushing off the wall, he moved to the bed, hovering over her. She was totally vulnerable to him. _I trust you, Soul,_ she thought. Her eyes closed and soon after she felt his lips on hers. Soul kissed her with such tenderness, such devotion, Maka thought she might cry at how sweet it was. His hand came up to caress her face, his touch so soft. Breaking the kiss, he laid down on his side and pulled her to him, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. _We fit together so perfectly_ , she thought.

The song faded, leaving her feeling most content. She smiled as she regained consciousness, stretching and sighing in a relaxed, happy manner. Getting up, she wandered to the living room where Soul still sat at the piano. Coming up behind him, Maka wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his temple. "Thank you, Soul, it was beautiful." He chuckled and simply stated, "Glad I could help, Angel-chan." Maka moved away, towards the couch, when the door slammed open and BlackStar ran through the apartment, creating a small tornado with the wind he was making. "SOUL SOUL SOUL SOUL SOUL SOUL SOUL LET'S GO PLAY BASKETBALL SOUL SOUL COME ONE LET'S GO HURRY UP SLOWPOKE SOUL COME ON YOU'RE SO SLOW!" The door slammed shut behind him. Maka stood there, staring at the door. "I didn't even have time to grab a book," she said dreamily.

"Oi, Maka!" Soul called, poking his partner to jar her out of her thoughts. He did a double take when she jumped and squealed, her face turning bright red. "Soul! That was so rude!" She huffed, embarrassed. "Maka," Soul said slowly, an evil grin sliding across his mouth, "I think I just found your weakness." She spluttered indignantly as Soul began to advance on her. Maka moved backwards on shaky legs, gasping when she connected with the wall. His eyes took on a gleam of lust as his hand rested on the wall beside her head. Her knees were shaking, and her eyes couldn't seem to move off his lips, which were curved into a grin.

Soul leaned in closer, touching noses, breaths intermingling. His free hand found her waist and gripped it. She drew in a shaky breath and Soul chuckled once, pleased at what his nearness did to her. He let his hand creep up her side to her ribs, casually, not wanting to raise suspicion yet. "Maka," he whispered, his grin growing into a full-fledged evil smile, "I can't believe I never figured this out before." She whimpered, her eyes finally leaving his mouth to look into his. "Your weakness is so cute, so...little girlish." He paused. "You're ticklish," Soul finally said, wiggling his fingers against her ribs.

Maka squealed in surprise and spun away from his hand, giggling uncontrollably. Unfortunately for Soul, she spun into him, squealing and giggling as she did so, her tight little ass squirming against him. Soul groaned and released her, but quickly followed her as she ran away. He caught her quickly and they landed on a heap of conveniently stacked cushions. Maka's squeals and laughter became nonstop as he declared a tickle war. "This is for making it so damn hard to find your weakness, Maka!" Soul said while laughing at the way she squirmed and jerked while trying to get away. When her face started getting red, he let up a little to let her breathe. However, as soon as her face was its normal color again, he started right back up.

They were interrupted by a pounding on the door. Soul started swearing up and down about bad timing and promptly received a book to the skull. Maka stalked to the door with a sour look on her face that quickly turned into confusion. On the other side was Patti, hysterical with laughter and broken sentences. Maka listened for a moment and blushed from her toes to the roots of her hair. Soul came over to her to see what was going on and was more confused by the shade of her face. "Uh...What the hell? Maka? What's going on?" He asked.

She whispered what Soul guessed was an explanation but he couldn't make out what she was saying. "Speak up, Maka, I can't hear you. What's going on?" Maka took a deep breath and her blush lessened but remained. "All you need to know right now Soul, is that Liz _broke_ Kidd." Soul's eyebrows scrunched, trying to decipher why she had oddly accented 'broke'. Maka moved past Soul back into the apartment and grabbed both of their jackets. Throwing his to him, she walked out, following the still-hysterical Patti. Soul followed after a moment and shut the door behind him, shrugging into his jacket.

Patti skipped down the stairs, singing the same phrase over and over. "Sissy broke Ki-idd, Sissy broke Ki-idd!" Soul was so confused. _Broke, like, physical? Or broke like mental? What the hell did she do? Make his room asymmetrical?_ Shaking his head, he just followed the lunatic and his Maka down the stairs. He inwardly groaned. _Since when is she_ my _Maka? Oh right, since she became_ my _Meister and_ my _girlfriend. She is my girlfriend now, it's only been a couple days alone together and we have become so much closer. We are bonded by so much more than being partners at the DWMA. She_ is _mine._

Meanwhile, in Maka's head, she was still grappling with what Patti had said. _Wow, Liz. I knew you liked him, but I didn't realize the feelings were reciprocated! That's so exciting! I hope you can have with Kidd what I have with Soul._ Her blush returned. _That song was so...beautiful, and perfect. It's the best thing I could have woken up to besides his face. I really love hearing him play, it's so soothing. It literally caresses my soul, just as much as his hands caressed my face. Oh, Lord Death! Please give Liz and Kidd a chance! She has fallen so hard for him!_

In Patti's head: let's just not go there...something about giraffes...


	10. Pent-Up Desires

When they reached the door to Kidd and the Sister's apartment, Patti walked right in without hesitation, setting herself down at a table with a coloring book and a multitude of crayons. Maka turned to Soul, blocking his entrance. "Soul, you need to prepare yourself." Soul gulped at her serious tone and anxious eyes. "Maka what the hell is going on? What's wrong with Kidd?" Her gaze wavered and she hesitantly turned around, angling her head back to mutter, "Just don't stare."

Maka walked into the apartment with her chin up, looking as if she was preparing herself for a fight with a nasty kishin. Soul hesitantly followed her in, on edge, not knowing what to expect. They walked into the perfectly symmetrical living room (minus Patti's corner) and he glanced into the perfectly symmetrical kitchen, seeing no one. Maka was walking towards one of the two doors off the living room. Soul froze. She was walking towards Liz and Patti's room. _But, Maka said we were coming here for Kidd!_ He thought desperately. Glancing back towards Patti for help, he gawked at her arm moving top speed across the page of the coloring book, holding five different colors of crayons in her hand at once. Sighing, he turned back to the door to find that Maka had opened it, and he was anything but ready to see what was on the inside.

At first, he thought it was just a mess. On second glance he recognized Kidd's scarf hanging off one of the blades of the ceiling fan. And Liz's tie hanging over her mirror. And….he gulped. A long, black pair of pants crumpled up on the floor. _No way, absolutely no way in hell did they…did they…did they?_ Maka walked around the slightly open door and Soul followed as if he were in a daze. A very rumpled-looking Liz came into his vision first, sitting on the edge of her bed and looking worriedly at something further up the bed.

Soul gulped and peered around the door, yelping in shock when he saw the cause of Liz's concern. Kidd…draped haphazardly across her bed…appearing almost dead…in his underwear. "What did you do to him?!" Liz looked at him, annoyance setting into her features. "It's not like I was _trying_ to kill the mood, Soul. I just temporarily forgot I had a tattoo on my left hip. So when I got a little…carried away…I forgot and he noticed…and then…this happened." Maka turned to Soul. "Will you please go into the kitchen and bring me back a large bowl of water? Make it cold. Oh and a washcloth from the bathroom linen closet, too." Soul looked once more at Kidd and ran for the kitchen.

As soon as he left the room, Maka turned on Liz. "Details!" she squealed with a grin on her face. Liz smiled and started in on the story only to be interrupted by Soul a minute later. Each girl immediately assumed an expression of worry, even though their eyes still twinkled. Soul drug a chair over to the bed with his foot and set the large bowl of water on it, handing the washcloth to Maka. She dipped it in the water and wrung it out before laying it over Kidd's face. They waited for any kind of response…nothing.

Liz and Maka looked at each other and nodded. "Time to resort to drastic measures," Maka said. Liz agreed with a firm nod and stood, moving to stand next to Kidd's head. Soul watched, confused, as she leaned over. He couldn't see what she was doing and he twitched, nervous for his friend. He breathed a sigh of relief when she turned back around, her arms full of stuff that had been on her bed. _Wait…what?_ He thought only seconds before Maka stood. _**Splash!**_ She dumped the bowl's contents on Kidd's face.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Kidd started sputtering ferociously. His normally calm demeanor vanished as he realized he was stripped to his bare necessities. Laughing, they obeyed his screams ordering them to get the hell out. Soul and Maka left a couple minutes later, walking hand in hand back to their apartment. On the way there, Soul's stomach growled rather loudly, demanding food. This sparked a heated debate over who should make supper. At some point they stopped while arguing and Soul poked her to make a point. Maka jumped and squealed, then ran away towards the door. "Just for that you're making supper!" she yelled, sticking her tongue out. Soul put on a burst of speed and yelled back, "I don't think so!"

Maka giggled, sitting at the kitchen table, watching Soul grumble while he made their supper. Currently he was dipping the shrimp in batter, but soon he would be putting them in the fryer. Popcorn shrimp, one of her all-time favorites. Maka's stomach growled in anticipation and Soul looked back at her, inadvertently bringing his hand over the fryer. He yelped in shock when some hot oil jumped up and hit his hand. Maka was by his side in a flash, holding his hand with one of hers and grabbing a cold washrag with the other. Carefully, she pressed the rag to his hand, looking up to find him staring at her. Her eyes never leaving his, she brought his hand up to her mouth and kissed it. He licked his lips and she grinned, saying, "Be careful, 'kay? I'm gonna go shower before supper." Winking she dropped his hand and turned, walking away. She could hear him groan and mumble something about fairness, to which she giggled and gave him the eyes over her shoulder.

Soul muttered to himself while he finished supper, trying not to picture it…and utterly failing. He was just putting the plates on the table when the bathroom door creaked and he looked up to see her bare leg hooked around the doorframe. He swallowed loudly, all his blood dropping. He inhaled shakily as she stepped into the room, wearing nothing but a towel, with her hair wrapped up in another towel. Soul's hand reached blindly for a chair, and he dropped heavily into one when his hand connected. He thought his heart was going to beat out of his chest and he couldn't get enough air into his lungs. His eyes never left her.

The dark color of the towel enhanced her white skin, making it seem to glow. She reached up and pulled the towel out of her hair, shaking it out as it fell around her bare shoulders. And that look…her bedroom eyes…Soul's heart threatened to stop beating as he shifted to try and find a more comfortable position. Her lips slowly curved upward and she reached his chair. She sat on his lap and his arms immediately went around her, pulling her in for a heated kiss. Giggling, she broke it, and they leaned there, foreheads touching, for a breathless moment.

"The shrimp smells divine," she said, leaning back. Soul exhaled, the spell she had seemed to cast over him dissipating. Getting up, she moved around the kitchen, still in only her towel, and proceeded to set the table and fill their glasses with the wine Blair had brought home a couple days ago. Very mild stuff, but still sophisticated-looking. Soul's eyes never left her and she could feel the effects of her "seduction" in the tingling of her body.

At the table once again, they both dug into their food, and wine, and pretty soon the wine got the better of the two of them. They left their plates at the table and stood, facing each other, breathing heavily. One look from Maka and Soul made the one tug he had been imagining since she first stepped out of the bathroom. She held his eyes as the towel fell away, though her cheeks warmed slightly. The wine numbed them both to the point where they just wanted each other. Their lips met. Their bodies met. Their souls met.


	11. The Fiery Passion Within

**A/N: THIS IS RATED M FOR A REASON. PLEASE READ RESPONSIBLY.**

Maka's wine-fogged mind could hardly comprehend what was happening. _He makes me feel so good,_ she thought. Her eyes opened as Soul broke off the kiss. She inhaled shakily, not quite trusting herself to not do something stupid. A little voice in the back of her head warned her not to do something she'll regret. However, a louder voice was telling her he loved her. Soul tucked a stray hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek, looking into her emerald eyes with his own crimson ones. "Maka." She shivered as he sighed her name, warmth spreading from her core to the very tips of her fingers and toes. The little voice was forgotten.

Slowly, oh so slowly, Soul leaned in, their foreheads resting against each other, noses touching. Maka's eyes slid shut, and Soul's followed as he closed the distance. He pulled them to a stand and wrapped his arms around her, one hand resting on the back of her shoulder and the other on her lower back. Maka's fingers worked themselves into Soul's hair. She had always loved the icicle-white spikes, so course-looking but truly as soft as silk. Very much like Soul himself. Maka loved every part of him.

Soul's tongue traced her lips, and Maka couldn't hold back the little moan that escaped. He backed off of her mouth, but didn't leave Maka more than a couple seconds to pout. She melted as Soul's kisses moved to her jawline. Her breathing sped up and her fingers moved restlessly through his hair. Taking his time, he kissed his way down her throat. Maka squealed when Soul scooped her up in his arms without warning and started walking quickly down the hallway to his bedroom. Maka's arms tightened around his neck and she pulled him back down for another kiss.

Gently, he laid her on the bed, coming to rest with his knees on either side of her thighs, his hands on either side of her head. He continued kissing her neck, occasionally planting a hot, open-mouthed kiss to the groove where her neck and shoulder meet. Maka mewled like a kitten at those hot kisses, not able to contain herself. Soul's heart raced when the sounds reached his ears. He moaned her name, rolling onto his back and pulling her on top of him. She laid flat on him, kissing him with all the fiery passion within her being.

Soul couldn't help himself after that. His hands roamed from her upper back, finding her shapely ass and giving it a squeeze. Maka gave a little squeal and instinctively moved away from the hands...Soul's eyes rolled as he sharply inhaled. Her "evasion" had resulted in her hips thrusting downwards. He pulled her back into a kiss and his heart skipped a beat when her legs parted to fall on either side of him. She sat up. Soul couldn't seem to pull enough air into his lungs to accommodate for the large blood rush down.

Maka had never done this before. The wine had completely destroyed her inhibitions. Soul had awakened something in her she had never known lay sleeping. She wasn't a kitten. She was a fierce tigress who knew what she wanted, and she wanted her man. With that in mind, she leaned forward to kiss the middle of his chest, not-so-subtly sliding forward on his very prominent member. She watched his eyes roll back into his head, purring with satisfaction. "Maka," he moaned, his hands gripping her upper arms, "Dammit Maka, since when have you been such a sex kitten?" Maka glanced up through her lashes, her gaze dripping with lust.

Soul thought he was gonna have a heart attack. He had never seen Maka look so sexy and he didn't know how much longer he could hold out. For once, there were no knocks on the door, or friends flying through the apartment. It was just them, all alone, and drunk enough to act on the passion they'd been holding back all this time. Suddenly, Maka was removing his shirt, kissing his scar from top to bottom. Soul shivered when her tongue made little laps at his scar, just like a kitten. He froze when she abandoned his scar and began kissing his pronounced six-pack. Lower. Lower. His hips jerked upwards when she kissed his abdomen right above his pants.

Purring. That's the best way he could describe the noises coming from Maka. And it was the biggest turn on. _Dammit. Maka, stop being so damn seductive, it's making it hard as hell to resist taking you right here and now._ Even with his eyes closed he could see that half-lidded gaze of lust painted on the back of his eyelids. His eyes flew open when he was very suddenly without pants. Maka was wearing a triumphant, sexy smirk and Soul gulped as she started stroking him with both her hands. His hands clenched the bed sheets beneath him fitfully, seeking a relief to the blissful torture being handed to him.

He lost track of how many times her name left his lips after his boxers hit the floor. But oh...that hand job was nothing compared to what she was doing now. From the first lick, Soul was struggling to remain in control. His soul grappled with hers, begging for mercy and being granted none. He couldn't say he minded. _Nope, definitely don't mind. Not in the least,_ he thought as her tongue traced the swollen veins from base to head. He shivered as the cool air connected with his moistened member. When she began to take him in her mouth, Soul's body clenched at the sensation and the look of pure, fierce enjoyment on her face. The tigress within Maka was in control now, and she seemed hell-bent on giving him the utmost pleasure.

Soul jumped a bit at the unexpected movement of her hand cupping his balls. He moaned and managed to warn Maka, expecting her to pull away. If anything, her already lust-dripping gaze seemed to explode with passion as he neared his finish, and he was anything but ready for what she did next. Maka took every single inch of his member into her mouth and simultaneously squeezed his balls, pushing him over the edge. Soul saw bursts of light and his body was flooded with the sensation of being drowned in the sweetest pleasure. Hungrily, Maka swallowed three times before slowly pulling herself off his member, licking her lips. Soul's eyes followed the movement, panting from his release. The lust in her gaze gradually bled out as she saw how tired he was. A small smile graced her lips before she crawled up to lay next to him, falling asleep with her slender, graceful form draped across his. Soul rested his cheek on the top of her head and held her close. "I love you, Maka." She purred, snuggling closer even in her sleep. Soul chuckled and closed his eyes, falling asleep seconds later.


	12. Maka's Turn

**\- A/N - Rated M for a reason. Please read responsibly. - A/N -**

The sun rose above the horizon and spilled into the window of Soul's bedroom. Soul was watching Maka sleep, her face so peaceful and beautiful. He turned slightly towards her and raised his hand to tenderly stroke her face. He smirked at the stark contrast between last night's sex kitten and this morning's angel. Soul felt his heart swell with love for her, all of her. Leaning in, he planted a kiss on her lips and whispered, "Good morning, my angel."

Maka stirred under his kiss and sleepily opened her eyes. She looked questioningly at his smirk, then her eyes widened as she realized they had slept in the same bed. Her gaze dropped to his bare chest and then lower still to his re-awakening member. When she met his gaze again, her cheeks were red and she seemed kind of shy. "Was I any good?" She asked in a small voice. Soul threw back his head and laughed, pulling her into a tight embrace, "Damn near blew my mind, Angel-chan."

She smiled mischievously, one hand fingering the top of his scar. He sucked in a breath and became very suddenly aware that he was still naked. In bed. With a sober Maka. Who knew what she was doing. And damn if that knowledge didn't go straight to his member. Her hair fell around him as she partially leaned over him to kiss him. He groaned into the kiss, a part of him painfully tight and in need of her touch. She pulled away from his lips, her eyes heating at his pout. He sucked in a breath when she moved to his scar, placing hot, open-mouthed kisses on it. Soul's back arched involuntarily and a low groan escaped his lips. "Maka," he gasped when she kissed his head.

Soul couldn't stop his hips from jumping off the bed when she licked her lips and took him all the way in. Gritting his teeth, he made a monumental effort to stay still and not do something that could hurt her. Within seconds he was on the edge and he tried to tell her to stop, but again she didn't listen. Rather, she looked him straight in the eye and sucked hard, sending him straight over the edge. His eyes rolled back and moaned her name over and over again.

When he could breathe again, he chanced a look at Maka to see her glowing smugly with a sexy smirk on her face. That look, combined with a sultry lick of her lips had him hard all over again. "Damn Maka, one look and I'm ready to go again. This is all your fault," he said, sitting up and capturing her lips. She purred, her hands twisting into his white hair. She kissed him so passionately, so hungrily, Soul just had to touch her. His hands landed on her hips, sliding up her ribcage, taking her shirt off as he went.

Maka threw her shirt into a corner of his room, watching Soul's eyes hungrily take in her red and black lace bra. She leaned in and kissed him while he felt for the clasp of her bra. Soul released the catch and pulled the straps off her shoulders, moaning as her hands buried themselves deeper in his hair. He pulled her onto his lap, mindful of his erection, and almost lost it when his member pressed against her bare stomach and their bare chests came together. His hands began to explore her flat stomach and not-as-flat-as-he-had-always-thought breasts. She broke the kiss and purred with pleasure, arching into him and throwing her head back.

To Soul, the invitation could not have been more obvious, but Maka, as innocent as she was, had no idea what was coming next. When he flicked her nipple with the tip of his tongue she gasped and moaned, bringing her head to rest against his. Soul continued to gently please her, showing her just how good he can make her feel. Maka didn't know how, but she ended up on her back with Soul hovering over her, wreaking havoc with his tongue on her virgin body. Her moans turned to purrs and her purrs turned to moans. Soul knew she was close. She was so close. When he finally sent her over the edge, she screamed at the blinding pleasure.

Soul gently kissed her trembling body as she came back down from her high, then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She wrapped her arms around him and clung to him. Her head was nestled in the nook between his neck and shoulder and he tenderly kissed the top of her head. After several minutes, she looked up, cheeks still flushed, glowing from the inside out, and blushed. A thought wormed its way into Soul's mind until he just had to ask. "Maka?"

"Hmm?" She responded, not quite trusting her voice. "Angel-chan, was that…your first?" His suspicions were confirmed when she turned her face into his neck and gave a small nod. He stroked her back and kissed the top of her head again, his body unconsciously tensing at the thought that she might have regrets. She looked up with a small frown. "You just got all tense. Is something wrong?" He looked at her for a moment before working up the courage to ask. "Do you regret what we just did?" The shocked look on her face and vehement shaking of her head no set his mind at ease. He smiled and kissed her.

"Soul, I'm…I'm glad you were my first," she said tentatively. Soul grinned. "That's cool of you, Angel-chan, I'm glad I was your first, too." At Maka's shy smile he leaned in to kiss her again when his stomach growled. He groaned at the interruption and Maka laughed, moving to get up and put her clothes back on. Soul laid back on the bed with a flop and Maka quickly kissed him before heading out the door to make breakfast. A few minutes later, Soul walked into the kitchen with pants on but still no shirt, and grinned at Maka who practically glowed with happiness. She turned around to put breakfast on the table and took his breath away with her radiant smile and the love in her eyes. "Order up."


	13. Food and Friends

Waffles. Damn if his mouth didn't start watering at the mere sight. _Maka is the coolest, making me my favorite food for breakfast the morning after_ that. With a hearty grin, Soul dug into his chocolate chip, strawberry- and whipped cream-topped waffle stack. Maka giggled at his zest as she sat down with her own plate. To any outsider, they would have seemed like such different people: the white-haired boy crouching on his chair and shoveling food into his mouth while the blonde-haired girl sits with her legs folded under her and eats small bites with a fork. No one would guess that they could have such a strong soul resonance.

Just thinking about the intimate bond they shared with soul resonance made Soul want to blush. He swallowed hard, feeling the color rising in his cheeks against his will. He gulped down some apple juice to hide his face. Maka finished her waffle and stood to collect the dishes. Soul sighed, "Come on Angel-chan, that's not cool. You made the food, that means I get clean-up duty. That's how cool guys do it." He augmented this statement with a kiss to her nose that made her giggle. Pulling her into a quick side-hug, Soul inhaled the captivating fragrance of her shampoo before letting her go to grab the dishes.

After he disappeared into the kitchen, Maka collapsed onto the couch and fanned her flaming cheeks. Her breath left her in one giant exhale that ended in a laugh. _Wow...how did I get so lucky?_ She allowed herself a moment of savoring the feeling of his strong arm wrapped around her before turning on the TV and flipping through the channels. Settling for one of their favorites, Friends, Maka curled up in a ball with a blanket.

Soul finished drying his hands and walked over to the couch, chuckling to himself as he saw the show she had chosen. He walked around the couch and laid behind Maka, wrapping his arms around her. Maka wiggled around a little bit to get comfortable, blushing when she heard Soul inhale sharply. She peeked at him and sheepishly said, "Oops." He only grinned and squeezed her gently. They relaxed against each other, souls once again gently resonating. Several episodes later, Maka got up to use the bathroom, leaving Soul half-awake on the couch. Or so she thought. When she returned, Maka found that Soul had started making lunch, chicken and noodles if her nose served her true.

"Hey Angel-chan, will you please come taste test for me?" Soul's soul whispered to her. "Of course, silly," her soul whispered back. Her soul exploded in happy colors as the flavors melted on her tongue. Maka's eyes closed in delight, savoring every flavor he had so masterfully blended. "Soul," she whispered, her soul hugging his tightly. "This is so good," she said. Leaning in to take another bite, he pulled the spoon away playfully saying, "Ah ah, don't wanna spoil your appetite Angel-chan. That wouldn't be cool." They leaned in, foreheads touching, lips a mere inch apart.

 _Boom boom boom!_ Soul swore as they both jumped. "Who the hell is pounding on the door? I swear if it's Black*Star I'm gonna..." His sentence was left dangling as he swung the door open and revealed a doubled over Stein. "What the...Professor?" Maka ran to the door. "Professor Stein, what's going on?!"

In between gasps he managed to get out: "Both...needed...Death Room...emergency..." Soul grabbed his jacket and the keys to his bike and tossed Maka her coat. They shut the door, ran down the stairs, and hopped on Soul's bike, tires squealing as they made their way to the Academy.


	14. The Death Room

"Lord Death! Scythe-meister Maka reporting for duty! What's the emergency?"

"I'm afraid I have very bad news." Immediately, Soul and Maka knew that this was a true emergency. Neither of them had ever heard Lord Death sound so gravely serious, not even when the kishin Asura was revived. "Soul, as a Death Scythe it is your duty to be my personal weapon. Keep in mind that the only reason I am not wielding you today is that...I have been judged too involved with the situation to take part in it. I will be monitoring from my mirror instead. Maka will wield you today in battle."

Soul felt a hum of excitement zip through their soul link at the realization they would be fighting together again. They both worked best together. On top of that, their soul resonance had grown considerably since defeating Asura. Subconsciously he reached a hand out to her, which she grabbed tightly. Soul began to feel worry emanate from Maka. "Lord Death, what is going on?" She asked, getting to the heart of the matter.

The black-garbed man bowed his head slightly. "An old enemy of mine that has eluded my grasp for centuries has taken my son."

Silence. Shock. Maka gasped as the meaning of the statement permeated her brain. "Kidd," she whispered. Lord Death nodded, a tear falling from his mask. At the sight of it, Maka's gaze hardened with determination. "Who did this?" She asked with deadly calm. Soul immediately glanced at her and squeezed her hand. He knew this was going to be hard for both of them.

"A witch by the name of Siafu. He has a nasty habit of hiding himself and all his treasures underground around the world. Unfortunately, he counts victims as treasures and very few have been recovered once they disappear underground. Kidd took the mission when Siafu was sighted in Australia."

Lord Death sighed heavily. "Australia is notorious for being his hiding place. The entire country is riddled with his underground tunnel systems. The few people who have found an entrance to his tunnels have been carried away, eaten alive, or both by his deadly army ants. The circumstances are grim...That is why I am sending in my death scythes and the three-star meisters instead of the one-star meisters that are students here at the academy. It will be very dangerous."

Pausing to let the information sink in, Lord Death looked at them seriously. "Will you accept this mission?"

Maka and Soul stood wide-eyed with disbelief. Siafu. _The_ Siafu. Maka nodded an affirmative, gripping Soul's hand. Soul asked, "Lord Death? What exactly is the mission's objective? To recover Kidd or to kill Siafu?" Maka held her breath, waiting for the answer.

After a moment of breathless anticipation, Lord Death sighed and stated in an emotionless voice: "Kill Siafu. Stop him from becoming a kishin."


	15. The Plane Ride

Planes. She hated planes. Soul hated that the fastest way to get to Australia was by plane. But what could he do? He held her close and tried to distract her from the fact that they were miles above the ground. Through their soul link he could feel how jittery she was. He tried his best to send soothing wavelengths to her, but every time the pilot came on the intercom or the plane shook Maka freaked out.

After a couple hours over the ocean, Soul noticed the cabin getting darker. Frowning, he sat up from his lazy position on the couch right as a flash of lightning illuminated the interior of the plane. Swearing, he leapt towards Maka. Before she knew what was happening, Soul had wrapped his arms around her and pressed his hands against her ears, burying her face in his chest. The momentum of his leap had them rolling across the floor of the plane's cabin, Soul shifting to keep his weight from crushing Maka. Within seconds of doing so, a thunderclap shook the plane.

Soul cursed repeatedly in his head as Maka screamed and her small body shook. He held her tightly to him, hating the plane more than ever before. He stood them up, never taking his hands off of her ears or her face out of his chest and led her to the couch a few feet away. The plane hit a patch of turbulence and threw them onto the couch. The unexpected move had Soul twisting to catch Maka, but his hands left her ears to catch her against him. The thunder clapped again and Maka responded with screams that slowly died down to whimpers. The rain began to hit the windows and her sobs were nearly drowned out.

The flight attendant came out to tell them to buckle their seatbelts, but when she saw Maka's hysterics she agreed to let Soul handle the situation. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he worked hard to restrain the small girl in his lap. He spoke to her in a soothing voice, reminding her that he was there for her, that she wasn't alone, that he loved her. Eventually he felt her soul turn to him slightly, indicating that she was starting to listen to his words. He continued to soothe her, and her shaking lessened. They were nearly out of the storm.

Soul knew when she stopped crying and exhaustion claimed her small body. Just before sleep overtook her, he felt her soul whisper his name. He was exhausted, too. Maka's reaction to storms always made his heart hurt and emotionally drained him. Unbuckling their seat belts, he pulled her so she was facing the back of the couch before grabbing a blanket and curling up behind her, spreading it over the both of them. In his exhausted state he managed to calculate approximately 12 hours remaining on their nonstop flight. Wrapping his arms around her once more, he let himself slip into a deep sleep.

When Soul awoke 10 hours later he immediately reached out his soul to Maka's and reconnected. She would sleep for another hour at least. After carefully extracting himself from the couch, Soul readjusted the blanket over her and placed a gentle kiss to her temple. _She's so beautiful_ , he thought to himself, smoothing a hand over her hair. Turning away, he went to the bathroom to relieve himself and fix his disheveled hair. He grimaced at the sight of his shirt in the mirror. It was ruined, stained by Maka's salty tears and wrinkled beyond recognition from her clenched fists. He slipped it over his head.

Holding it loosely at his side he walked bare-chested out of the bathroom to the luggage compartment. Pulling his suitcase down, he heard a gasp behind him. Glancing over his shoulder he saw the flight attendant staring at the collection of small scars on his back. He grinned. Literal battle scars. He turned around when he found the shirt he wanted. "Can I help you?" He asked the flight attendant who still stood there. He watched her eyes trace the scar that spanned from his shoulder to his hip. He frowned lightly and cleared his throat when her eyes didn't stop their descent. "Can I help you?" he repeated. Her eyes finally met his and widened in surprise. There was something else lurking in those amber depths. Lust.

Soul frowned deeper and said, "I'm not interested," shortly. Her futile attempts to sway his mind were barely of note. There was only one woman for him. A blonde-haired, blue-eyed angel. His meister. Pulling on the shirt he walked back to the couch just as he felt her soul awaken. Sitting on the edge, he leaned over to kiss her. Her eyes opened and she blinked shyly. Maka turned towards him and whispered, "I'm sorry for earlier."

Kissing her again, he chuckled. "That's what I'm here for Angel-chan." Blushing, she let Soul help her off the couch. Running a hand over her face she groaned. "I must look like a mess. Since we'll be landing soon I'm gonna go fix my face." Laughing at her words, Soul let her go.

15 minutes later, Maka had returned and the flight attendant came back to icily order them to buckle up. Confused, Maka turned to Soul. "She was so nice earlier, what happened?" Soul briefly explained what went down by the luggage compartment. Fire leapt into Maka's eyes and her lips formed a pout as she stood to go give the flight attendant a piece of her mind. Laughing, Soul pulled her back down to the couch and buckled her in on top of his lap. Maka struggled for a minute before crossing her arms and pouting with a hmph. Soul kissed her. "You're so cute when you get jealous Angel-chan."


End file.
